Marion, Harris return to practice; could be big boost to Mavs in second half

Dallas Morning News | Jan 15

Two strangers were on the practice court with the Mavericks on Tuesday afternoon.

One was back after a relatively brief absence. The other was tougher to recognize, like a long, lost friend who finally wandered back through the door.

Shawn Marion was back working with the first team at the lively workout before the Mavericks departed for a quick trip that will pit them against the Clippers on Wednesday and the Suns on Friday. Marion’s absence from the team was relatively brief. He said he expects to play in LA after missing four games with a right shoulder and upper rib bruise.

Meanwhile, the sight of combo guard Devin Harris running around with his teammates seemed considerably more foreign.

It was only the second time this season — the first since an early-December workout that did not go well — that Harris practiced with the team. By all accounts, this session went smoothly — with no complications for his surgically repaired left foot.

“I’m encouraged, yes,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said of Harris’ return to the court. “He’s moving well, and it’s been a process where we’ve had to do a pushback and restart it, but he’s done everything that he’s supposed to and he’s getting where he needs to get. We’re getting closer, but it won’t happen this week.”

The hope is that Harris can go through another full workout Thursday in Phoenix and then perhaps return on the three-game Eastern road swing that starts Monday in Cleveland. His season debut apparently will not come Saturday at home against Portland.